Blog | StarWarp Concepts | Publisher of Dark Fantasy and Horror

A Tale as Old as Time…

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Steven

Hey, fantasy fans! As you probably know, today’s the release date for Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s live-action remake of their 1991 animated feature. Starring Emma Watson (Hermione of the Harry Potter movies) as Belle, Dan Stevens (FX’s Legion) as the Beast, Luke Evans (Dracula Untold) as the bombastic Gaston, and Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Episodes I–III) as the dancing candlestick Lumiere, it tells the tale of a literally beastly prince who falls in love with a bookish girl with dreams beyond the provincial French village in which they live.

If you have plans to see it this weekend, perhaps you might be interested in another fairy tale with a memorable heroine…

Snow White is the classic story by the Brothers Grimm, and one of the titles in our Illustrated Classics line. Featuring full-color illustrations first published in 1883 (and they really are beautiful drawings), this digital-exclusive title is available for immediate download for the wickedly low price of just 99¢! Visit the Snow White product page for more information, including sample pages.

Along with Snow White, our Illustrated Classics line includes Edgar Rice Burroughs’s space-fantasy epic A Princess of Mars, J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s vampiric romance Carmilla, and our latest release (just out last week!): the 1932 novelization of the original King Kong, by Edgar Wallace, Merian C. Cooper, and Delos W. Lovelace. (And FYI, King Kong is regarded as one of the strangest “beauty and the beast” stories ever!)

They’re all great reads, with some spectacular illustrations, so visit each of the books’ product pages for more information.

Posted in Classic Fiction, movies, Publishing, Snow White | Tagged beauty and the beast, brothers grimm, illustrated classics, shameless plugs, snow white | Comments Off

Are You a Librarian Looking for Quality E-books?

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Steven

pieces_gold_large_book_cover2017 In recent years, we’ve talked to librarians who’ve expressed interest in adding our titles to their e-book collections. But how, they’ve asked, would they be able to obtain them? As librarians, they’re required to order books from distributors, not from publishers; that applies to e-books as well.

Well, it just so happens that one of The ’Warp’s digital distributors, Smashwords, makes our titles available to libraries through Baker & Taylor Axis360 and OverDrive, as well as around the world through Odilo, Gardners Books (Askews & Holts for public libraries), and, most recently, Bibliotheca CloudLibrary. To quote from Smashword’s arrangement with the programs:

“Library patrons are able to check out only one copy at a time. The books are wrapped in DRM so they time out after a specific period of time. The library can purchase multiple copies if they decide demand warrants multiple simultaneous checkouts. Otherwise, the library purchases a single copy and allows only one copy at a time to be lent out. If a library patron wishes to obtain a book that’s already checked out, the patron is sometimes given the option to purchase a copy through a retailer.”

In the case of OverDrive, “If a library patron wishes to obtain a book that’s already checked out, the patron is sometimes given the option to purchase a copy direct through OverDrive (for libraries that utilize OverDrive’s ‘Buy it Now’ feature).”

Via Smashwords, the following titles can be ordered:

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special, Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.

For a Few Gold Pieces More is Richard C. White’s latest release, a short-story collection of ten critically acclaimed short stories. Think Lord of the Rings meets the “spaghetti Westerns” of director Sergio Leone (A Fistful of Dollars; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly), as a Rogue With No Name travels a world of epic-fantasy adventure, looking for treasure—and revenge against the woman who sent him to prison for a crime he didn’t commit (but she did).

Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1: This critically acclaimed novel is the beginning of Pan’s story, explaining how she, her parents and friends, and Annie are drawn into a conflict among warring vampire clans searching for the key to an ultimate weapon (or so the legend goes)—a key that just so happens to have been delivered to the horror-themed museum owned by Pan’s father. It’s a character-driven action-fest that leads immediately into the second novel:

Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2: Pan and Annie face even greater challenges as the vampire clans draw up plans to go to war with humanity. Leading the charge is a fallen angel named Zaqiel, whose previous attempt at subjugating the world was stopped by Annie—who, back in the day, was Zaqiel’s lover!

So if you’re a librarian interested in adding those titles to your digital bookshelves, head over to your e-book distributor for libraries and place your order today!

Posted in e-books, e-tailers, Publishing | Tagged axis360, baker & taylor, blood feud: the saga of pandora zwieback book 1, blood reign: the saga of pandora zwieback book 2, e-books, for a few gold pieces more, gardners books, odilo, overdrive, richard c. white, smashwords, steven a. roman, terra incognito: a guide to building the worlds of your imagination | Comments Off

SWC’s Classics Collection

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Steven

King_Kong_LG_Cover Last Tuesday saw the release of King Kong, an e-book-exclusive release that’s the latest entry in our growing collection of Illustrated Classics titles. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it’s the novelization of the original 1933 film that introduced monster-movie fans to a version of “Beauty and the Beast” like no other. The SWC edition features scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects—and six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.

King Kong, however, isn’t the only title that we have for lovers of classic genre literature—just check out the following:

A Princess of Mars, perfect for fans of classic science fiction, is the first in Edgar Rice Burroughs’s “John Carter of Mars” novel series about a post–Civil War era American who suddenly finds himself on the Red Planet, battling to stay alive against all sorts of alien threats. It served as the basis for Disney’s 2012 film adaptation, John Carter, and inspired a century’s worth of SF works, including Flash Gordon, Star Wars, and James Cameron’s Avatar. The special StarWarp Concepts edition—available in both print and digital formats—features six incredible illustrations by SWC artist supreme Eliseu Gouveia (Carmilla, Lorelei: Sects and the City), and a special introduction by Mars-fiction expert John Gosling, author of Waging the War of the Worlds.

Carmilla—for which we recently celebrated its 145th anniversary—is J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s 19th-century classic vampiric tale of love gone wrong. Living alone with her father and governess, Laura is so desperate for a friend that when a young woman named Carmilla practically turns up on their doorstep, she thinks her prayers for companionship have been answered. But as she comes to realize, Carmilla isn’t as interested in making friends as she is in spilling blood. Regarded as the one of the earliest female vampire tales—if not the first—Carmilla was an influence on author Bram Stoker in the creation of the vampire brides in his seminal novel, Dracula, and remains a popular character in fiction to this day. Just like with A Princess of Mars, our edition contains six original illustrations done especially for StarWarp Concepts by the super-talented Eliseu Gouveia.

Snow White is the classic story by the Brothers Grimm, and was the first of our e-book-exclusive titles. You know the tale: A wicked queen, jealous of her stepdaughter’s beauty, plots to kill the girl so that the queen can become “the fairest of them all.” But standing in her way are seven dwarves who’ve taken quite a liking to the young lady—and they’re not about to let the queen win this particular beauty title. Featuring lush full-color illustrations first published in 1883, it’s always on sale for the wickedly low price of just 99¢!

But it’s not just Illustrated Classics we have to offer. In February we launched SWC Horror Bites: a chapbook series available in print and e-book formats exclusively from the SWC webstore, and at the conventions we attend. “Short tales to appease your monstrous hunger for suspense” is how we describe this series of new and classic horror stories, and we kicked it off with the following title:

White Fell—The Werewolf, by author, artist, and suffragette Clemence Annie Housman, was originally published in 1896 as The Were-wolf and is regarded by scholars as perhaps the first feminist werewolf story. In it, a beautiful woman named White Fell wanders into a snowbound village—and into the hearts of twin brothers, one of whom immediately becomes smitten by her. The other brother, however, soon grows suspicious of the enigmatic White Fell. Where did she come from? Why does she always carry an ax? And is her sudden appearance somehow related to the recent sightings of a bloodthirsty wolf in the area? He may come to regret being so inquisitive…

A Princess of Mars, Carmilla, and White Fell—The Werewolf are available in both print and digital formats; Snow White and King Kong are digital exclusives. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information.

But the SWC classics library doesn’t end there—we have other titles in the pipeline, waiting to debut:

Tales-Sorta-Tremble-Cvr In October, Tales to Sorta Tremble By will rise from the crypt on Friday the 13th, just in time for Halloween. This anthology—the second release in the SWC Horror Bites series—collects 13 mini-stories that first appeared in 1950s horror comics, when publishers were required to run text pieces in order to meet US postal regulations for shipping magazines. In its pages you’ll find zombies, vampires, haunted houses, disembodied brains, urban legends come to life, and other supernatural terrors! It’s just the thing to help you enjoy the spooky season even more.

And in December, Gabriel Grub and the Goblins will haunt the yuletide season. This SWC Horror Bite by Charles Dickens (A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities) involves a gravedigger running afoul of supernatural creatures that take a dim view of anyone who refuses to get into the Christmas spirit. If you thought Ebenezer Scrooge had it bad with ghosts nagging him to spread some holiday cheer, wait until you meet Gabriel—he’d probably trade goblins for ghosts any day!

Stay turned for further details on these upcoming releases!

Posted in Classic Fiction, Illustrated Classics, Publishing | Tagged a princess of mars, carmilla, illustrated classics, king kong, snow white, swc horror bites, white fell the werewolf | 1 Comment

‘Warped Week: March 12, 2017

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Steven

KingKong-2005 Welcome to ’Warped Week, a weekly recap of what we’ve been up to at ’Warp Central recently. If you missed anything, now’s the perfect time to catch up!

Last Sunday we ran the super-sized Simian Saturday review of King Kong, the 2005 remake by director Peter Jackson that starred Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, and Jack Black. (Yes, we’re aware we were a day late in posting it—hey, it’s a long movie, and our in-house reviewer [me] had a lot to say about it!)

Also on Sunday we marked the 95th anniversary of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, director F.W. Murnau’s classic vampire film that introduced worldwide audiences not just to the terrifying lord of the undead, Count Graf Orlok, but to the actor who so chillingly portrayed him: Max Schreck. (I also got a plug or two in about how I’ve made use of Count Orlok in some of my fiction work.)

On Monday we showed off the full cover design for King Kong, the latest addition to our Illustrated Classics library.

King_Kong_LG_Cover On Tuesday, we unleashed King Kong, an e-book exclusive that reintroduces monster fans to the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.

Thursday saw the debut of Hail to the King (Kong), a series of posts that’ll focus on Kong-related merchandise and other things. The first installment showcased some lobby cards that were displayed in movie theaters for the original King Kong.

Browne-King-Kong Friday was the U.S. debut of Kong: Skull Island, the latest cinematic take on the King’s story, with Tom Hiddleston (Thor), Academy Award winner Brie Larson (Room, and star of Marvel’s upcoming Captain Marvel), Samuel L. Jackson (Marvel’s The Avengers), John C. Reilly (Guardians of the Galaxy), and John Goodman (10 Cloverfield Lane) taking on the big ape. So what better time for Kong fans to purchase our King Kong novelization, right? It’s the perfect e-book to read whiole you’re standing on line at your local movie theater!

Finally, Simian Saturdays got back on track yesterday with my review of Anthony Browne’s King Kong, a children’s book adaptation of Wallace and Cooper’s original story by award-winning artist Anthony Browne.

Some week, huh? What’s coming next? You’ll have to keep checking this blog during the days ahead—or join us on Sunday for the next installment of ’Warped Week. See you then!

Posted in Weekly Recaps | Tagged 'warped week | Comments Off

Simian Saturdays: Anthony Browne’s King Kong

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Steven

Welcome back to Simian Saturdays, a series of reviews that examine the movies (and other media) that focused on King Kong, the giant monkey who’s captured generations of monster fans’ hearts. It’s part of our promotion for King Kong, the latest addition to our Illustrated Classics library that’s currently on sale.

King Kong is an e-book exclusive that reintroduces monster fans to the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.

King_Kong_LG_Cover Not familiar with the beauty-and-the-beast story of Kong and his “love interest,” Ann Darrow (who was played in the 1933 original by the queen of the scream queens, Fay Wray)? Well, here’s our edition’s back-cover copy to bring you up-to-date:

Ann Darrow was a down-on-her-luck actress struggling to survive in Depression-era New York when she met moviemaker Carl Denham. He offered her the starring role in his latest film: a documentary about a long-lost island—and the godlike ape named Kong rumored to live there. Denham needed a beauty as a counterpart to the beast he hoped to find, and Ann was the answer to his prayers.

Mystery, romance, a chance to turn her life around, even the possibility of stardom—to Ann, it sounded like the adventure of a lifetime! But what she didn’t count on were the horrific dangers that awaited her on Skull Island—including the affections of a love-struck monster . . .

Browne-King-Kong Today we’re paging through Anthony Browne’s King Kong, a children’s storybook published in 1994 by Turner Publishing, Inc. It’s writer/artist Browne’s adaptation of the original story by Wallace and Cooper, somewhat simplified for younger readers.

It’s a straightforward retelling presented with full-color illustrations—but it’s an adaptation not so much of the original story but of Delos Lovelace’s novelization (the very same novelization SWC has now published), incorporating touches of the deeper characterization found in that book. It also takes its visual cues from the film, with some images Browne’s interpretations of certain screen moments. The art is wonderful, with New York’s Art Deco architecture and Skull Island’s lush jungle reproduced in all their glory, and Kong as powerful and scary and sad as his ultimately tragic story dictates.

Browne-kong-marilyn The one visual hiccup in the book is that of Kong’s romantic interest, Ann Darrow, who was played so memorably by Fay Wray that her name became synonymous with the film. Browne, however, recasts the role with 1950s icon Marilyn Monroe (a perfect likeness, right down to her mole), which, in all honesty, creates an unnecessary distraction from the story. (Trust me, I’m not the first reviewer to point out this quirk.)

Monroe’s posthumous involvement aside, I was surprised more by the amount of violence that carried over from the movie to a book for young readers. Since it’s still in print, it must make for interesting bedtime readings…

“ ‘Jack grabbed a vine and climbed down the ravine, where he hid in a shallow cave…. The rest were trapped as Kong lifted the log and swung it back and forth. The terrified men desperately tried to hold on as long as they could, but one by one they fell screaming to their deaths.’ Okay, honey, sleep tight! See you in the morning!”

Browne-Kong-ESB There are also the images of a bleeding, bullet-riddled Kong atop the Empire State Building, the text for one in particular making it clear that the strafing biplanes shot him in the throat.

Yipes.

Still, this adaptation has nothing on the sheer WTF-ery of the 2004 children’s book version of Stephen King’s The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (a pop-up book, even!). That one is straight-up nightmare fuel; Browne’s Kong is quaint in comparison.

Bottom line? If you’re a grown-up monster kid, or have a monster kid of your own, track down a copy of Anthony Browne’s King Kong—a paperback edition was published in 2005 by Picture Corgi. As a kids’ book it might make for questionable bedtime reading, but as a tribute to the original Kong it tells the story well…well, except for the whole shoving Fay Wray out of the picture thing, of course.

Coming Next Saturday: It’s another pictorial adaptation of the original Kong—this time in comic book form! Join us as we take a look at Giant Classic King Kong, the supersized comic by artist Alberto Giolitti that was published by Whitman Comics in 1968. If you like your comic art old school and your giant monkeys colored blue (whaaat?), then don’t miss the next installment of Simian Saturdays!

King Kong (the SWC version) is now on sale. Visit its product page for ordering information.

Posted in Book Reviews, Illustrated Classics | Tagged anthony browne's king kong, book reviews, illustrated classics, king kong, king kong 1933, simian saturdays | 2 Comments

King Kong Lives Again!

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Steven

That’s right, monster-movie fans, today is the U.S. premiere of Kong: Skull Island—Legendary Pictures’ big-budget reboot of the Kong mythos, starring Tom Hiddleston (Thor), Academy Award winner Brie Larson (Room, and star of Marvel’s upcoming Captain Marvel), Samuel L. Jackson (Marvel’s The Avengers), John C. Reilly (Guardians of the Galaxy), and John Goodman (10 Cloverfield Lane). Based on the trailers and advance reviews it looks pretty good…but how did Goodman sneak into that all–Marvel Films cast? 😉

But just because there’s a new king on the block, there’s no reason to overlook the first—and still the best—Kong of them all. And what better way to remember the original King Kong than by reading SWC’s latest addition to our Illustrated Classics line of books?

King Kong, currently available from the SWC webstore, is an e-book exclusive that reintroduces monster fans to the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.

Not familiar with the story of the king of the monsters and the woman with whom he falls in love, resulting in one of the strangest “beauty and the beast” stories of all time? Then allow me to present you with our edition’s back-cover copy:

Ann Darrow was a down-on-her-luck actress struggling to survive in Depression-era New York City when she met moviemaker Carl Denham. He offered her the starring role in his latest film: a documentary about a long-lost island—and the godlike ape named Kong rumored to live there. Denham needed a beauty as a counterpart to the beast he hoped to find, and Ann was the answer to his prayers.

Originally published in 1932, this fast-paced novelization includes scenes that never appeared in the final version of the classic 1933 film—the most famous of them being the gruesome Skull Island “spider pit” sequence, in which hordes of monstrous arachnids attempt to devour Ann’s rescuers!

King Kong is available right now for download, so visit its product page for ordering information. It’ll give you something to read while you’re standing on line at your local movie theater!

Posted in Illustrated Classics, movies | Tagged illustrated classics, king kong, kong: skull island, novelizations, shameless plugs | Comments Off

Hail to the King (Kong): King Kong 1933 Lobby Cards

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Steven

King_Kong_LG_Cover Welcome to the debut of Hail to the King (Kong), a series of posts that’ll pop up here and there that focus on merchandise and other things that relate to the giant gorilla who’s captured the hearts of monster-movie fans since his debut in 1933.

If you’ve visited this blog since the start of the year, you know why we’re covering this topic: as a way to help promote King Kong, an e-book exclusive that reintroduces monster fans to the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.

To kick off this series, how about a look at a trio of classic King Kong lobby cards that were distributed to movie theaters?

What’s a lobby card, you ask? Well, that’s a natural question, since they’re not in much use anymore as a promotional device, so let’s turn to Wikipedia for an answer:

Lobby cards are similar to posters but smaller, usually 11 in × 14 in (28 cm × 36 cm), also 8 in × 10 in (20 cm × 25 cm) before 1930. Typically issued in sets of eight, each featuring a different scene from the film. In unusual circumstances, some releases were promoted with larger (12 cards) or smaller sets (6 cards).

All clear? Great! Then let’s check out some Kong lobby cards!

kingkong33-junglecard kingkong33-wray-armstrong-cabot kingkong33-nycard

King Kong (the SWC edition) is available right now for download, so visit its product page for ordering information.

Posted in Illustrated Classics, movies | Tagged hail to the king kong, illustrated classics, king kong, king kong 1933, lobby cards | 1 Comment

King Kong Now On Sale!

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Steven

The King is here!

On sale today from the StarWarp Concepts webstore is King Kong, an e-book-exclusive reprint of the 1932 novelization of the original motion picture, and the latest addition to our line of classic books.

Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.

Critics have certainly enjoyed this novelization:

“A cracking adventure that shoots along at breakneck pace.”
—The Science Fact & Science Fiction Concatenation

“Lovelace’s novelization is an interesting read and moves with a breezy pace. Fascinating for fans of the film.”—Library Thing

“Recommended for hard-core Kongites.”—Sci-Fi Dimensions

King Kong is available right now for download, so visit its product page for ordering information.

Posted in Illustrated Classics, Publishing | Tagged delos w. lovelace, edgar wallace, illustrated classics, king kong, king kong 1933, median c. cooper, novelizations, paul tuma | Comments Off

King Kong: The SWC Cover

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Steven

Here it is in all its glory: the full cover design for our Illustrated Classics edition of King Kong! Thanks go out to our in-house wizard, K.C. Winters, for the fantastic design! Click on the image to see it at monster size.

King Kong is an e-book exclusive that will reintroduce monster fans to the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.

King Kong (the SWC edition) goes on sale tomorrow, March 7, 2017. Visit its product page for further information.

Posted in Illustrated Classics | Tagged illustrated classics, king kong, king kong 1933, novelizations | Comments Off

Happy 95th Anniversary, Nosferatu!

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Steven

nosferatu-a-symphony-of-horror-movie-poster-1922 Okay, I’m a day late in celebrating it—I had to finish my review of King Kong 2005 for the latest (and also late) installment of Simian Saturdays—but yesterday, March 4, was the 95th anniversary of the day in 1922 when German movie-going audiences were introduced to, and horrified by, Count Graf Orlok, the vampiric star of director F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. (It took another seven years before the film reached America.)

Nosferatu, in case you were unaware, was actually an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. You think Twilight is just Harry Potter with the “serial numbers”—character names and plot locations—filed off to create a new setup? Or that Fifty Shades of Gray is just a reformatted Twilight? Well, producers Albin Grau and Enrico Dieckmann and screenwriter Henrik Galeen were doing that stuff almost a hundred years before Meyer and James—only no one’s ever insisted that all copies of their derivative works had to be destroyed!

That’s exactly what Florence Balcombe Stoker—the author’s widow—demanded when she learned of the film. Originally she sued Grau and Dieckmann’s Prana-Film company for copyright infringement—Grau had never bothered optioning the rights to Dracula and just ripped it off—but when it became clear the movie wasn’t a box-office hit, she said she’d settle for all copies of it being destroyed, and the judge presiding over the case agreed with her!

Luckily, some copies survived so that generations of horror fans could see for themselves what a great film it is, and how disturbingly creepy Count Orlok is, as portrayed by actor Max Schreck. If you’ve never seen Nosferatu because it’s an old, black-and-white silent movie, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Go find a copy—there are tons of them out there, since the movie has long been in the public domain—and check it out!

talesshadowmen401 Speaking of Count Orlok, I’ve made some use of that blood-drinking monster in my own work. His is one of the vampire clans featured in the Saga of Pandora Zwieback novels Blood Feud and Blood Reign (and the upcoming Blood & Iron)—although I spell it Orlock there—and he made an appearance in a short story I wrote for the Black Coat Press anthology Tales of the Shadowmen 4: Lords of Terror (later reprinted in BCP’s The Vampire Almanac, Vol. 2).

My story, “Night’s Children,” involves Irma Vep (the femme fatale of the 1915–16 French movie serial Les Vampires) crossing paths with Count Orlok. It’s no romantic tale, however—Orlok is a rat-faced, bloodsucking monster, and Irma, an art thief who only dresses like a vampire, is his next intended victim. Who comes out the winner? You’ll only find out by reading the story!

Both Tales of the Shadowmen 4: Lords of Terror and The Vampire Almanac, Vol. 2 are available in print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages at Black Coat Press for ordering information.

Posted in movies | Tagged count orlok, irma vep, nosferatu, nosferatu: a symphony of horror, tales of the shadowmen, the vampire almanac, vampire fiction | Comments Off